Exterior House Painting cost: Gresham vs Medford (2026)
In 2026, exterior house painting is about 5% more expensive in Gresham than in Medford. Most homeowners pay around $3,450 in Gresham versus $3,300 in Medford — a gap of roughly $150.
Gresham OR
Typically around $3,450
Medford OR
Lower costTypically around $3,300
Gresham vs Medford: full breakdown
| Factor | Gresham | Medford |
|---|---|---|
| Typical 2026 cost | $3,450 | $3,300 |
| Estimated range | $1,950–$4,900 | $1,900–$4,700 |
| Labor index (vs US) | ×1.09 | ×1.04 |
| Climate zone | Mixed | Mixed |
| Climate factor | ×1 | ×1 |
| Local permit | None | None |
| Labor share | $2,400 | $2,300 |
| Materials/equipment | $1,050 | $1,000 |
All figures are 2026 localized planning estimates for exterior house painting — get an actual quote before you commit.
How much should this gap actually matter?
That 5% gap is small — for exterior house painting it's usually less than the spread between two local contractors' quotes, so the metro matters far less than who you hire and when you buy.
Exterior house painting by type: Gresham vs Medford
Each exterior house painting option, priced separately for both metros — the same local labor, climate and permit adjustments applied per city, so you can compare like for like.
| Type | Gresham | Medford |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl siding | $1,850–$4,350 | $1,750–$4,150 |
| Wood siding | $2,050–$4,900 | $2,000–$4,700 |
| Fiber-cement | $2,400–$5,550 | $2,300–$5,300 |
| Stucco | $2,400–$5,450 | $2,300–$5,200 |
| Brick | $2,700–$5,950 | $2,600–$5,750 |
These are 2026 planning figures for exterior house painting, localized to each city — not formal quotes.
Exterior house painting by home size: Gresham vs Medford
Exterior painting is priced by the siding area, which tracks home size and the number of stories. Expect roughly $1–$4 per square foot of wall area; prep — scraping, sanding, and washing — often costs as much as the paint itself.
| Size | Gresham | Medford |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft home (1 story) | $1,650–$3,800 | $1,550–$3,650 |
| 1,500 sq ft home | $1,950–$4,900 | $1,900–$4,700 |
| 2,000 sq ft home | $2,400–$5,950 | $2,300–$5,750 |
| 2,500 sq ft home (2 story) | $3,250–$7,600 | $3,150–$7,300 |
| 3,000 sq ft home | $4,100–$9,250 | $3,950–$8,850 |
| 3,500+ sq ft home | $4,900–$10,850 | $4,700–$10,400 |
Localized 2026 planning estimates — not quotes. Each city adjusts the national exterior house painting range for local labor, climate and permits.
What painting pros earn in each metro
Roughly 70% of what you pay for exterior house painting is labor, which is why local wages explain most of the price gap. The numbers below are actual metro wages for skilled installers, sourced from BLS OEWS — not guesses.
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro metro · about 12% above the US average installer wage.
No BLS metro wage series for Medford; we use Oregon regional price parity instead.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metro wages for HVAC installers (used as a trade-labor index).
Cheapest time for exterior house painting in either city
Summer is peak season for exterior painting because the weather demands it, and prices follow demand. Interior painting isn't weather-dependent at all, which makes it the cheapest job to book in a slow winter month.
What are you really paying for in a paint job?
A painting bid can look cheap and still deliver a bad result, because the number rarely reflects the prep behind it. Here's how our editors think about it.
The prep-first case
Surface prep — patching, sanding, caulking, washing — is most of a lasting finish. A bid that's cheap because it skips prep will peel within a year. Pay for the prep, not the brand name.
The timing case
Winter is dead season for interior painters, and the good crews will take your rooms then at a rate they won't quote in July. Exterior work runs the opposite calendar — it needs dry, mild days, so hold it for spring or fall. Paint rolled onto a cold or damp wall never cures right, and you end up paying for the job twice.
The coverage case
One-coat quotes win on price by putting less paint on the wall, and you see the difference within months as the old color ghosts through. The defensible standard is primer plus two finish coats. Get coat count and primer named in the contract so a lower number can't quietly mean thinner coverage.
Two numbers matter more than the total: how many hours go into prep and how many coats land on the wall. Get both right — real surface work, primer under two finish coats, timed to the season — and the result outlasts anything you'd save on the cheapest quote.
Gresham vs Medford
Is exterior house painting cheaper in Gresham or Medford?
In 2026, exterior house painting is cheaper in Medford at about $3,300, versus $3,450 in Gresham — a difference of about $150 (5%).
Why does exterior house painting cost more in Gresham than Medford?
Labor rates explain most of it — 1.09 in Gresham vs 1.04 in Medford. A mixed climate versus mixed accounts for the rest.
How much is exterior house painting in Gresham, OR?
exterior house painting in Gresham runs $1,950–$4,900 as of 2026 — most jobs land near $3,450.
When is the cheapest time to buy exterior house painting — and does it differ by city?
Timing doesn't change by city here — Winter for interior; dry spring/fall for exterior is the cheapest window in both Gresham and Medford, saving roughly 10–20% (interior, off-season). Avoid mid-summer (exterior peak) in either location, when emergency replacements push prices up.
Should I choose where to live based on exterior house painting cost?
Not really — the $150 gap is one-time, and smart timing and tighter quotes in Gresham can shrink it. Factors that compound over time, like energy prices and home condition, deserve more weight than a single upfront difference.
Compare exterior house painting in other cities
Updated June 2026 · By Serhat Özçelik